CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

Contemporary Bajan Heroes: November 30th, 2011 marks the 45th Anniversary of Barbados' Independence from Great Britain. The Canadian Barbadian Community's celebration of their country's 45th Independence will include the November 26 Annual Barbados Independence Celebration Gala at the Thornhill Community Centre. This collage is a pictorial tribute to some of Barbados' heroes. L-R; Diva Rihanna, Jockey Patrick Husbands, Former Prime Minister, the late David Thompson, Cricketer Fidel Edwards, Author Austin Clarke and Calypsonian Red Plastic Bag.

De Ro Cops MLS 2011 MVP Award
Scarborough's Dwayne De Rosario (DeRo) has finally netted Major League Soccer’s most valuable player honors for the first time in his career. De Rosario, was the most popular choice in voting conducted by players, club representatives and the media. He was a finalist in 2005 and 2006. De Rosario was the league's leading scorer with 16 goals and 12 assists and named to the Best XI for a record sixth time. The 33-yearold midfielder began the season with Toronto FC, which traded him to the New York Red Bulls three matches into the season. He was later dealt to D.C. United, where he hit stride with 13 goals and seven assists in 18 matches. De Rosario is the first MVP to play on three different clubs in a single season, and the first player to be named MVP yet fail to make the playoffs. Earlier in the week De Rosario also became the leading goal scorer in Canadian Soccer history with 19 goals De Rosario, whose parents are Guyanese, began his career in 1997, signing with the Toronto Lynx of the A-League. He made his MLS debut in 2001 as part of the Frank Yallop coached San Jose Earthquakes. Along with the rest of his Earthquakes teammates, he moved to Houston for the 2006 season. He led the Houston Dynamos to back-to-back MLS Championship wins in 2006 and 2007. De Rosario was traded to Toronto FC on December 12, 2008. As a result of a contract dispute De Rosario was somewhat surprisingly traded on April 1, 2011 to the New York Red Bulls. Within months he was on the trading block again moving to D.C.United on June 27, 2011. At the end of the Season when De Rosario had being named to the MVP shortlist, former France International and DC clubmate Theirry Henry made a huge statement about De Rosario’s ability. “In this league I haven’t seen anybody better than Dwayne De Rosario...For me, he’s the face of this league.” said Henry.

Dwayne De Rosario

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

November 23, 2011

Community

78th and Counting for Lionel Bedessee
On November 11, 2011 Canadians from all walks of life paid solemn tributes in remembrance to those who had served this country in battle. That same day, at the Bedessee Imports Scarborough Headquarters, a much more joyous celebration took place as family, friends and business associates of Lionel Bedessee gathered to celebrate his 78th Birthday. Lionel is still involved in the business as its father-figure. Although he leaves the day-to-day decision making to his highly competent sons, he still makes the daily trek from his home in Stoufville to the Scarborough offices. He's the first one there every morning, arriving at 8:00 am, and the last one to leave at close-of-day in the evenings. According to Pamela she doesn't see him stopping that routine any time soon. When not quietly overseeing the business, Lionel now spends his time with his twelve grandchildren, eight boys and four girls: Andrew, Bradley , Brandon, Ariana, Jena, Elliot, Nick, Marcus, Amanda, Chris, Sean and Melissa The family, says Pamela, is ever grateful to the community for their demonstrated generosity and goodwill in having supported and stuck with Bedessee Imports and its products throughout the years. Bedessee Import's success, she acknowledges, would not have been at all possible without the outstanding support of its customers. Son Chub, echoed Pamela's comments, indicating that outstanding customer relations has been the key to his dad's and the family's business success. "My dad has always recognized and catered to the needs of his customers, he's always put their interests first. That's what sets him apart from others." Although based in New York, Chub makes time to keep in contact with his dad, almost on a daily basis. "We talk constantly about everything, business, family and life in general." Number two in the Lionel & Evelyn Bedessee offspring hierarchy, daughter Rose, now lives in New York with her husband Anthony and their own teen-aged daughter, Ariana. Rose used to be involved in the business, on the administrative side, but now owns and manages a Medical Services company. Daughter Ariana is now a part-time Bedessee Imports employee, responsible for petty-cash and other administrative duties at the New York offices. Rose says that the business success she has achieved thus far can be directly attributed to characteristics she inherited from her dad. Courage, strength of purpose honesty and absolute belief in yourself are qualities she's proud to have acquired from Lionel. Those and his willingness to always work very hard at his chosen profession. She says that the family's very strong sense of cohesion has also been a major contributor to the Bedessee Import success story. "This business was started from the basement of my parent's home in Waterloo, back in the early 1970's. Throughout the years since, we have all pitched in to help its growth, in every which way we can. We all worked 24/10, after my dad saw the need for West Indian products in Canada and decided that he would throw his hat in the ring to become a major supplier of such products. " My dad's very strong sense of family is what has allowed us to do so." "Don't hang your hat where your hand can't reach". He says his own success has been fueled by strict adherence to such principles, learnt from his dad. Being honest, loyal and trustworthy to one’s customers and always being there for them are the Lionel Bedessee inspired and implemented qualities that have been key to the family's successful transition from Guyana to Canada. "My dad started this business from the ground up and worked very hard every step of the way to make it what it is today. That's the lesson I now try to pass on to my own kids." "From an initial Guyanese oriented company, through the outstanding support of all members of the Canadian Caribbean community, whether they be from Barbados,

Lionel Bedessee (right) with his wife Evelyn
The November 11 birthday boy Lionel, is the founder of Bedessee Imports, which today is rightfully regarded as one of the Canadian Caribbean Community's most established and successful businesses. He hails from No. 59 VillageCourantyne, in Guyana and was one of nine children. His father Ramnath Bedessee, owned and operated a general store in Courantyne from 1931 onwards. Lionel and his family left Guyana to come to Canada in 1971. Themed 11-11-11, the Birthday celebrations were an admirably organized and grand affair. Guests were given 78 Birthday specially ordered t-shirts to wear, there was food enough to feed an army and an impressively well stocked bar. A DJ provided the music and there were also live performances by several Indo-Guyanese entertainers. Eldest daughter Pamela, the event's Chief-cook and bottle-washer, indicated that the planning for the special birthday celebrations had started over a year ago. The sad and untimely passing of Lionel's sister Floris on August 30 had initially put a temporary damper on plans, but the family collectively decided to move ahead with the celebrations. Lionel and his wife Evelyn had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year. Six of the couple's seven children, daughters Pamela and Rose, as well as sons Ravi, Chub, Rayman and Invor, were in attendance to observe their father's 11-11-11 Special Day. So too were some of his twelve grandchildren. Lionel's eldest son, Verman was unfortunately unable to be there, as a result of having to attend a Trade Show in Orlando. Lionel's outstanding business acumen has been successfully passed on to his children. His five sons are now all actively involved in the Bedessee Family business. With offices in Toronto, New York and Miami, Bedessee Imports are wholesaler importers of Caribbean, Asian, Latin & South American foods, fish and spices. As the company's Logo now proudly proclaims " We're in your kitchen more than you think." Rayman and Invor manage the Scarborough based Canadian flagship store. Verman and Chub are in charge of the company's New York operations, while Ravi and his family manage Florida. Sisters Pamela and Rose, though not directly involved, have provided moral, organizational and family support as required over the years. With glowing pride, Pamela describes her father Lionel as being sincere, humble, hard-working and family oriented. She says that of all her dad's many admirable qualities, the one that has always stood out the most to her is his tendency to constantly put the interests of his family and others before his very own. "When we came to Canada in 1971 there were no West Indian products available. My dad started this business out of his desire to provide "back home" products to the Caribbean community." Now aged 78, when others would have long since retired,

D’Cook Man
Jamaica, Trinidad or any of the smaller islands such as Antigua, Grenada, St Kitts, St Lucia and St Vincent, we have since grown to become a global company. We now serve customers throughout the entire Caribbean Diaspora." Our business philosophy has been to identify, understand and respond to the needs of our customers and to try to do so in a manner that will acquire their patronage and support." Seventeen year old Ariana Bacchus, Rose and Anthony's daughter, is the eldest of the grand-daughters amongst Lionel's twelve grand-children , As the elected spokesperson of "Bedessee Generation Next", she said that she while always being happy for any excuse to visit Canada and her grand-parents, she was nonetheless overjoyed to be a part of her granddad's 78th Birthday celebrations. His hard work and dedication are the qualities she admires most about her Granddad. Astute beyond her age, she expressed an appreciation for the Bedessee Import's success as a family business. She said the one memory of her grand-father, that she will some day pass on to her own kids, is that of him making her work hard finding and picking grey hairs from his head and rewarding her with chocolates for doing so. Lesson learnt that hard work pays good dividends! As joint hosts of the event Lionel's Canadian based sons, Rayman and Invor, thanked everyone for attending. They both gave glowing tributes to their dad, for all the love and support he's provided to his family during his seventy-eight years. As to the Birthday boy himself, he declined the opportunity to make any comments. True to his nature his time was spent quietly ensuring that everyone present was having a wonderful time. 11-11-11, seventy-eight glorious years and counting for a truly wonderful and remarkable personality, Lionel Bedessee. Cheers Govenor, thanks for having set such a wonderful example throughout the years and all the very best for many more!

Lionel and his admirers
Rose has now been happily married for just over twentyfive years. She says that the unwavering commitment her dad Lionel and mother Evelyn have demonstrated to each other, during their own fifty-one years of marriage, has been the example she and her husband Anthony have tried to follow. Rose's husband Anthony echoed her comments, describing his in-laws as two of the finest and purest individuals he's ever known and a shining example to married couples everywhere. Second son Ravi, shared some interesting "old school" parables learnt from his dad and which are still applicable in today's modern world "What goes around comes around".

November 23, 2011

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

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Poetry Anthology Launched!
ple he has known in Canada. They reflect the movement of the new immigrant from a Trinidad or Guyana focus towards a new Canada centered life, while still retaining much of the cultural, social and religious behavior of the Caribbean. Habeeb Alli, a Muslim explains, "My poems reflect my odyssey from a new immigrant to a context of religious life in Canada. I am attempting to introduce an enlightened Islamic perspective, for as you know Caribbean Muslims are generally quite moderate. Naraine Datt's poems reflect a wide international interests and attitudes and has enough interest for a wide range of readers. His subjects include everything from the Nuclear Holocaust to domestic issues between man and wife. Roop Misir's poems explores a variety of topics including memories of his former homeland (Guyana), nature (seasons), shared culture, belief systems, spirituality, morality, human kindness, politics and world peace. Some poems make the readers reflect, others stimulate thought-but all are intended to make the world a better place. Ken Ramphal's poems deal with his feelings as a new immigrant to Toronto. He tries to come to terms with the irrevocable past and with the ingratitude he encountered. The group will be taking up a program of publicity, public appearances and readings, as well as a book launch within the next few weeks. They will also be initiating contacts with other writers in southern Ontario and other parts of Canada for possible future joint publications. Roraima is available on www.amazon.com and will also be available from the authors and local venues in the Greater Toronto area.

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Poetry Book: Roraima
Six Caribbean Canadian poets have announced the joint publication of Roraima, an anthology of poetry from emerging Caribbean Canadian writers. The exciting new collection of 75 poems by Roop Misir, Ken Ramphal, Ram Jagessar, Harry Persaud, Habeeb Alli and Naraine Datt breaks new ground in exposing a vision of Caribbean writing that goes beyond wallowing in nostalgia about former lives in Guyana, Trinidad and other parts of the Caribbean. Roraima is a rich and varied collection of poems on many aspects of life in Canada from the perspectives of former immigrants who have adapted to life in a large, different and developed nation. Harry Persaud says, "These poems come from a Caribbean community that has been settled in Canada for many decades, and has a lifestyle that is mostly unknown to people in our former Caribbean homelands. Ram Jagessar commented that all his poems were true and were taken directly from the real world lives of Caribbean peo-

Beautiful Andrea considers herself to be very blessed and it is obvious why. Canadian born of Guyanese and Trinidadian parents she leads a very active lifestyle with hair styling, make-up, modelling and acting engagements. As if those weren’t enough she’s also busy putting plans in place for an April 2012 Fashion Show to launch her own clothing line, “Bendicon” which means Blessed in Spanish. Beautiful, Blessed and Busy indeed!

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

November 23, 2011

Barbadians in Canada Celebrate 45 Years of Independence
by Akua Hinds
Hundreds of Barbadians and enthusiasts of Barbados showed up at the Cathedral Church of St James in Toronto to celebrate and acknowledge Barbados’ upcoming 45th year of independence from British rule. Barbadians all around the world find ways to congregate with other Barbadians and build lasting connections. Some Barbadians living in Canada use their school connections to connect with their former classmates and to help their communities. Cecily Corbin-Gittens is the president of the Barbados St Michael School Alumni (Toronto Inc.) and her Toronto based Alumni association celebrated their 30th anniversary this year, something that CorbinGittens is very proud about. For thirty years, the Barbados St Michael School Alumni has lived up to his mandate, which is to maintain a close alliance with past students, to perform charitable work throughout Canada and overseas, and to provide avenues for improvement in education. The group also focuses on assisting their Alma matter in Barbados. When the alumni group was formed on November 29th, 1981, there was a small group of members who met at the home of one of the older alumni members. Corbin-Gittens became the president in 2010 and has been a member of the group for over 25 years. The group originally formed to support and help each other. In 1981 there was no Internet to use to connect with former school mates living in various parts of the world. The alumni members used old-fashioned methods of reaching out to and finding each other. “It was a matter of word of mouth from people from home who would say who was coming to Canada. There was a liaison with the consulate who knew people who were coming up. Members of the community would pass information on to members of the school who were living in Canada,” Corbin-Gittens explained. Because the St Michael School was an allgirls school until boys were permitted to attend in 1979, all of the Toronto alumni members are women. The Toronto members are open to welcoming male students of the St Michael School to join their alumni chapter and participate in their many charitable causes. At the Service of Thanksgiving held at Toronto’s Cathedral Church of St James on November 20th, His Excellency Mr. Evelyn Greaves, the High Commissioner of Barbados in Ottawa, gave a stirring speech about Barbados’ worldwide reputation. “Every Barbadian promotes Barbados as a country where the people work together for the betterment of the country,” Greaves stated. The St Michael School Alumni (Toronto Inc.) strives to live up to the image of Barbadians who support their communities. The Toronto Alumni members hold a set of activities throughout each year to promote education and talent. The Alumni has held talent shows to promote and showcase talent in younger and older individuals. “Even some of us older folks also performed. It was just a fun time giving young people an arena where they could perform and be accepted,” Corbin-Gittens shared. The alumni members also reach out to senior citizens with their annual Seniors Tea. “We’d have a high tea with cups and saucers, finger sandwiches. Really make it elegant for them,” Corbin-Gittens said. In addition to reaching out to seniors, the alumni members raises funds to support the Sickle Cell Foundation, the Herbie Fund at the Sick Kids hospital and provide scholarships to first year university and college students. In between helping their communities, the Toronto chapter of the Alumni finds time to unite their voice in song. “We have formulated a St Michael Alumni choir that used to compete at different levels. We’ve done pretty well. We don’t compete now, but we still sing as a choir because we have our annual Christmas concert the first weekend of December,” Corbin-Gittens said. The St Michael Alumni (Toronto Inc.) choir performed at the Service of Thanksgiving this past Sunday in front of hundreds of people who attended to celebrate Barbados’ 45 th Independence Day which will be on November 30th. Like Corbin-Gittens, many of the people who attended the service in Toronto were older; Corbin-Gittens graduated from the St Michael School in 1959 and she moved to Canada in 1970. There were younger people in attendance on Sunday as well, and seeing young people succeed is something that Corbin-Gittens values, especially when she visits Barbados and drops by the St Michael School. “It’s a marvellous feeling, really. You feel at home again. To see the progress and the good work that the students do and that the school continues to produce such excellent students. It’s good to see the advancement they’ve made in their own lives and their careers. Our teachers did well for us and it’s good to see them continue to do the same,” Corbin-Gittens shared. Many Barbadians have moved to other countries since 1966’s Independence Day, but as His Excellency Mr. Evelyn Greaves shared in his speech at Sunday’s service, Barbadians worldwide continue to observe the country’s day of Independence. “This event provides an opportunity for the Barbadian family to gather together and share our dreams,” Greaves said. Barbadians living in the Greater Toronto area will continue observing Independence Day celebrations for the next two weeks.

Toronto's 2015 Pan American Games: Business Opportunities for the Caribbean
by Sandra Ann Baptiste
The expected influx of over a million visitors to Ontario for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games, one of the world's largest international multisport events, will provide opportunities for Caribbean vendors and suppliers to capitalise on this huge captive audience to showcase and sell Caribbean products and services. The Games in July-August 2015 will attract over 8,000 athletes from 41 North American, South American, Caribbean and Latin American nations who will be housed in the newly-constructed Toronto Pan American Athletes Village located at the heart of the Games on an 80-acre site next to the Don River in Toronto's waterfront district. At a recent Canada-CARICOM Trade Development Forum in Mississauga that I attended, it was suggested that there are good business prospects for Caribbean entrepreneurs during the two-week event. However, some of the areas mentioned such as telecommunications, coaching and medical services are not feasible. Director of Procurement for the Games, Bill Zakarow has acknowledged that there may be opportunities for Caribbean businesses to participate in the bidding process in areas such as food services, construction, cultural events, provision of team clothing and promotional merchandise. At the Pan American Village, meals have to be provided for the 8,000 plus athletes. The food has to reflect a mix of various cultures. Large companies likely to win the bid to manage the provision of meals will sub contract to various suppliers. Caribbean restaurant and food producers should watch for such opportunities. Food suppliers will have to have the capacity to meet the demands for quantity, quality and stringent food safety standards. A major focus will be service, particularly on-time delivery. The Request for Proposals (RFP) for food services is expected to be early in 2014. Outside of the Games venue, Caribbean businesses are well placed to expand their food offerings during the fourweek period of the games since visitors to the event will be visiting downtown Toronto for meals, entertainment and shopping. Think Caribana for four weeks. The vendors who churn out large volumes of curry and roti, jerk chicken, peas and rice and doubles for the Caribana crowd need to gear up for this much longer event that has the potential to generate substantial revenue for them. Those established Caribbean businesses in the downtown core also need to gear up for this occasion and do special advertising the get the attention of the visitors to the games. As construction for the Games continues, construction workers, electricians and plumbers will be needed. Construction on the Games Athletes Village has begun and the aquatic centre and stadium are next. Cultural events to entertain the athletes and visitors will also be part of the program and here again there might be opportunities for Caribbean artists to provide some entertainment during this cultural festival. Caribbean entertainers should try to tap into this opportunity to show off the region's amazing talent. The 20,000 volunteers on hand will need to be outfitted (tee shirts, shorts and hats). Caribbean garment producers may want to consider whether they are equipped for this opportunity and want to participate in the bid for signature games outfits. The bidding for this is expected to be late 2013 to mid-2014. Zakarow noted that the Games organizers have placed diversity high on the agenda for this event. The broad base of suppliers must include SMEs (small-medium enterprises) of which at least 51% must be owned and operated by aboriginal peoples, women, individuals of multi-cultural heritage and individuals with disabilities. The selection criteria for the procurement process includes the total cost of ownership, availability of goods and services, quality, innovative solutions, capabilities and experience, diversity and financial strength. For bids for up to $10,000 a supplier database will be used and quotations obtained from selected suppliers. A minimum of three suppliers will be considered for bids between $10,000 and $100,000 which will be "invitational competitive" and involve the use of the supplier database, a supplier listing from the Canadian electronic tendering service MERX, market research and the procurement opportunity will be posted on the TO2015 website. For projects or services over $100,000, the bidding process will be "Competitive open", posted on MERX and the TO2015 website. The Games organizing committee has implemented a "supplier diversity" strategy that will enable diverse businesses in the Southern Ontario region to participate in business opportunities. Total business procurement opportunities are approximately $400 million over the next four years. To date, 17 % of those funds have been allocated. Businesses owned by visible minorities account for 14 % of this. Zakarow advised that Caribbean companies should proactively promote their products by registering on the official Games website www.toronto2015.org.To keep on top of what projects are available for bidding, CARICOM producers, service providers and entertainers should look for posted opportunities on MERX. In order to attract the best athletes, Games officials are aiming to increase the number of sports disciplines that will be used as pre-qualifiers for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. There were 12 such disciplines in the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Olympic Bid Committee Chairman, former Ontario Premier David Petersen, reminded me recently of the Caribbean's interest in the Pan Am games highlighted during his visit to Guyana last year to promote Canada's bid for the 2015 Games. Games officials are keen to attract topnotch Caribbean athletes such as three-time Olympic gold medalist Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, West Indians in Toronto and Caribbean visitors, some of whom will be accompanying our Caribbean athletes from the 15 member countries of CARICOM, will be a ready market for our Toronto-based businesses. Organisations such as Caribbean Export and the recently resuscitated Canada-Caribbean Business Council have indicated their commitment to help Caribbean entrepreneurs take advantage of the sizeable financial and marketing opportunities that will present themselves in the run-up to the Pan Am Games. The planning needs to start now. Sandra Ann Baptiste is a business consultant and Specialist in Caribbean Affairs.

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

November 23, 2011

Editorial Let's Support Our Own This Christmas
As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Canadians with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods, merchandise that has been produced at the expense of Canadian labor. So here's an idea, let's do something different this year. Let's all give the gift of genuine concern for our Caribbean community by helping out our very own business owners. It's time to think outside the box, people. A Christmas gift doesn't always have to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper. Everyone gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates to a Caribbeaan community owned hair salon or barber shop? If getting in better shape is a New Year's goal for anyone near and dear to you, find a Personal Fitness Trainer in the Community and arrange for one month's paid training. Both parties will appreciate you all the more for it. For those of us with cars, call any one of the Community owned body shops or mechanics and arrange for a pre-paid gift for an oil change, basic servicing, winter tires, whatever your designated receiver needs most and your budget can afford! For those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking money down on a Chinese made flat-screen, call a community Travel Agent instead and pay for a vacation to a Caribbean destination. If you however absolutely must give a flat screen tv, laptop or some such item Trinidadian Rawle Sidial's CCSI, on Victoria Park near Steeles, has such items at unbelievable prices. Go pay him a visit, we are sure he will give you a good deal! Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or household renovation projects completed. Our community is chock full of handy-men, plumbers and interior decorators looking for work. You can even help our young people who are pursuing higher education, by giving them gifts that would help offset the costs of their education. Our community has scores of restaurants all offering delicious Caribbean cuisine, from roti shops to fancier dining. Call any one of them and arrange for a Dinner gift certificate of some kind. A gift certificate of whatever denomination for purchases of Caribbean products from Charley's West Indian, G Prasad's, Nicey's or any of the other Caribbean owned grocery stores would be much appreciated. As would the same for roti skins from Mona's, Roti Hut or any of the gazillion Roti shops that permeate our community. If Jamaican patties are a favorite, there's a slew of choices from which prepaid orders can be arranged as gifts. Into giving jewellery as gifts? Forget People's, choose something from El Dorado, Ken's Jewellery, Omesh or any of the community owned establishments. We could go on ad infinitum with examples but hopefully we've made our point: this Christmas Season, let's all in some small way give the gift of community by supporting our own. All the other Communities, the Chinese, Eritreans, Jews, Italians, Somalis and South Asians, just to name a few, have been doing so for years, so why can't we? Speaking of a sense of community, this paper's Publisher witnessed a gesture of highly commendable kindness the other day that was joyous to watch. A Jamaican Brother was in GPrasad's Caribbean Groceries, picking up some items. When he was ready to pay he produced his credit card only to be told by Vernon Persaud, the store manager, that they don't have the facilities to process credit card payments. The Brother didn't have any cash or a bank card on him and was contemplating having to go all the way home or to his bank to get the necessary funds, when Vernon simply and very kindly told him, that it would be okay for him to pay later at a more convenient time. Magnanimity from a Guyanese store manager to a Jamaican customer and a poignant demonstration of our capacity at times to support each other. Witnessing that simple gesture increased one's faith that the dream of a more cohesive and supportive Caribbean-Canadian community can one day be realized.

Sarkozy Going After Caribbean Countries
by Sir Ronald Sanders
The financial services sectors of Caribbean countries are once again being threatened by a President of France, and unless they take strong, united and decisive action, they will suffer irreparable harm. France's President Nicolas Sarkozy has publicly - and wrongfully - identified 3 Caribbean countries as "tax havens". He named Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, among eight others - Botswana, Brunei, Panama, Seychelles, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He also threatened that "countries that remain tax havens … will be shunned by the international community". The French government's intention is to shut-down all offshore financial centres anywhere outside the European Union (EU) countries and the United States on the basis that they are "tax havens" and are harbouring money that would otherwise be taxed. Yet, the biggest tax havens exist in the EU and the US. The instrument for beating-up and booting out jurisdictions with offshore banking sectors is the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in which the EU countries predominate. In 1998, the OECD produced a list of countries which it said would be "blacklisted" for "harmful tax competition". Included in this "harmful competition" was the exercise of their sovereign right not to tax offshore companies or their deposits in banks. It was only after a spirited joint response exposed the OECD's actions as unilateral, bullying, and without authority in international law that the Organisation relaxed its demands in 2000. But, the major players in the OECD created a so-called "Global Forum" into which offshore jurisdictions allowed themselves to be lured. The governance and rule-making of the "Global Forum" is not global at all. Up to 2009, it was run by the OECD Secretariat and it set standards and practices for jurisdictions other than the large and powerful member nations of the OECD. China has now joined the "Global Forum" largely to protect its own interests in Hong Kong and Macao which the OECD had contemplated blacklisting. But, little has changed, and engagement by the non-OECD countries with China as an ally is urgently needed. The ultimate weapon that the OECD uses to force other jurisdictions to comply with their unilaterally-determined "standards and best practices" is publication of areas of legislation, regulation and enforcement in which it is claimed that the nonOECD countries are not compliant and are, therefore, open to illegal activities. Over time, the OECD has succeeded in killing the offshore financial sectors of several developing countries and those that have not been killed, have been crippled. This has been achieved by demands for requirements that not only cost the governments of these countries large sums of money to implement, but also by depriving them of their sovereign right to tax or not tax as they see fit, and coercing them to enter into Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs). There are also no accompanying double-taxation agreements that would make tax information agreements palatable. At least, a double taxation agreement would make an investor more comfortable to invest in a country, which has TIEAs, on the basis that he/she would not be taxed twice. It is not for nothing that President Sarkozy has invoked the G20 as the latest forum for judging countries as "tax havens". Membership of the G20 is heavily - and wrongfully weighted in favour of EU countries, and even the European Commission has a voice in it. They are well placed to push an EU agenda while the jurisdictions they attack have no opportunity to put their case. Countries of the Caribbean and others not represented in the G20 have an obligation to fight back. The Caribbean countries would best do so by creating joint regional machinery, under the CARICOM Secretariat, to represent their collective interests; to build alliances with other countries that have been equally affected by the OECD's overwhelming ambition either to direct their tax policies or to close them down as financial centres. No one country can

do this alone. And 'beggar thy neighbour' policies won't work. This is not a time for individual jurisdictions to try to cut separate deals; it is time for joint actions to put their case before influential nations in the G20 such as Canada which represents Caribbean countries on the boards of the World Bank and the IMF. Sir Ronald Sanders is a Consultant and former Caribbean diplomat. Responses and previous commentaries at: www.sirronaldsanders.com Tony McWatt Malcolm Cliffe Mark Bannister, Sandra Ann Baptiste, Duane DaSilva, Akua Hinds, Sir Ronald Sanders, Oumarally and Baboolal Andrea Simone
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As an island country in the Lesser Antilles, Barbados is 34 kilometres (21 mi) in length and as much as 23 kilometres (14 mi) in width, amounting to 431 square kilometres (166 sq mi). It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic, about 104 miles east of the islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and 250 miles north-east of Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados was initially visited by the Spanish and first appears on a Spanish map from 1511.Thereafter, the Portuguese in 1536 then visited, but they too left it unclaimed. The first English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados in 1625. They took possession of it in the name of 'James I, King of England'. Two years later in 1627 the first permanent settlers arrived from England and it became an English and later British colony. Barbados has an estimated population of 284,589 people, with around 80,000 living in or around Bridgetown, the largest city and the country's capital. In 1966, Barbados became an independent state and Commonwealth realm, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State. As a coral island Barbados is now one of the Caribbean's leading tourist destinations and one of the most developed islands in the region. On the West Coast of Barbados, coral shore beaches of fine white sand stretch along a blue-green sea. Coral reefs fringe the Barbados shoreline to provide excellent snorkeling and Scuba Diving. The constant breeze of the trade winds give Barbados a mild and pleasant tropical climate. Visitors to Barbados, will see it as mostly a flat coral island with excellent beaches, but there are rolling hills and many deep ridges and gullies, with an interesting distribution of flora and fauna. Within the Barbados coral core there is a vast array of caves and underground lakes. These provide an excellent supply of drinking water that is amongst the purest in the world Barbados is a very beautiful island, with lots of art, activities, night life, music, history and some of the best restaurants to be found anywhere. But what makes Barbados even more special, and the reason why so many visitors keep returning to the island year after year, is the people. Barbadians, "Bajans" are warm and friendly souls, always ready to greet you with a sincere smile. They make you feel welcome and special, in this lovely Caribbean Island. Music festivals, sporting events, culinary affairs and per-

forming arts - here the calendar is brimming with exciting opportunities and unforgettable experiences. Every day brings something new to discover in Barbados. In terms of climate, the Island is generally split into a period of two seasons one of which includes noticeably higher rainfall. Known as the "wet season", this period runs from June-November, In contrast, the "dry season" runs December-May. Gentle breezes of 12-16 kilometres per hour (8-10 mph) abound throughout the year and give Barbados a warm climate which is moderately tropical. Barbados has a well-developed mixed economy, and a moderately high standard of living. Historically, the economy of Barbados had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but in the late 1970s and early 1980s it has diversified into the manufacturing and tourism sectors. Since the 1990s the Barbados Government has been seen as business-friendly and economically sound. The island has seen a construction boom, with the development and redevelopment of hotels, office complexes, and homes.

Transport on the island is relatively convenient, with 'route taxis', called "ZRs" (pronounced "Zed-Rs"), travelling to most points on the island. They generally depart from the capital Bridgetown or from Speightstown in the northern part of the island. There are several locally owned and operated vehicle rental agencies in Barbados. The island's lone airport is the Grantley Adams International Airport. It receives daily flights by several major airlines from points around the globe, as well as several smaller regional commercial airlines and charters.

Barbados has numerous internationally known hotels. The southern and western coasts of Barbados are popular, with the calm light blue Caribbean Sea and their white and pinkish sandy beaches. Along the island's east coast, which faces the Atlantic Ocean, there are tumbling waves which are perfect for light surfing. Shopping districts are popular in Barbados, with ample duty-free shopping. There is also a festive night-life in mainly tourist areas such as the Saint Lawrence Gap. Other attractions include wildlife reserves (Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary), jewelry stores, scuba diving, helicopter rides, golf, festivals, sightseeing, cave exploration (Harrison's Cave), exotic drinks and fine clothes shopping. The largest carnival-like cultural event which takes place on the island is the Crop Over Festival. Crop Over is an important event for many people on the island, as well as the thousands of tourists that flock to the island to participate in the annual events. It gets under way from the beginning of July, and ends with the costumed parade on Kadooment Day, held on the first Monday of August. There are so many ways to tour Barbados and explore its many interesting sights and activities. You can go underground by electric tram and see some of the most beautiful stalactite and stalagmite-filled caves found anywhere, or soar sky-high over the tree tops on a Zipline adventure, or maybe have a bird's eye helicopter view of its shores and countryside. You can witness the colorful splendour of the island's beautiful sea life, from inside a sub. You can also sail along the tranquil waters on a day or night cruise or maybe a pirate cruise touring along the lovely coastline, as you swim with the sea turtles or snorkel on a coral reef. Perhaps you may just want to lie on one of the many palm-fringed, coral sand beaches. Then there are the land tours, from large air-conditioned bus excursions around the island, to quaint jitney expeditions through the gullies and hills of the interior. You can visit the not-easy to reach sections of the island by horseback, Segway and ATV tours, or enjoy a 4x4 safari into the rain-forested inland areas, Land Rover style. Whatever your preference, there is an island tour to cater to your wishes, which will be weaved into a wonderful experience! As a unique Caribbean paradise, surprisingly sophisticated, friendly, fun and always naturally charming, Barbados beckons.!

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November 23, 2011

Bimshire Beat
Rihanna Not Fit
BRIDGETOWN, Concerned that Barbados is in a state of decay and immorality, a church leader has accused worldclass singer Rihanna of “always doing foolishness”, and called her unworthy of being an ambassador. At a service launching the Independence anniversary celebrations being put on by the Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Bishop Dr Marlon Husbands took issue with some of the actions of the pop star, and also expressed concerns about the level of indiscipline, immorality and homosexuality in the country. Speaking at the Sanctuary Empowerment Centre on Country Road, St Michael, before an audience that included Acting Prime Minister Ronald Jones, President of the Senate Sir Branford Taitt and Speaker Michael Carrington and fellow Members of Parliament Steve Blackett and Patrick Todd, Bishop Husbands lambasted Rihanna for the controversy that ensued last September in Dublin when a farmer told her to cover up after she stripped down for a video in a wheat field.

Offshore Bank Now High Risk
BRIDGETOWN, A Barbados-domiciled offshore bank has been reclassified from “low risk” to “high risk” by American authorities over the past few days.And the Barbados International Business Association (BIBA) is concerned that this unexpected development may be linked to France’s political posturing, signalling real economic consequences for Barbados. BIBA President Connie Smith said she was acutely concerned, in light of recent pronouncements by France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy that classified Barbados as a “tax haven” in the company of some of the world’s less well regulated and well established international financial centres. In a s-

Connie Smith tatement released recently the BIBA boss urged Government to “use all diplomatic channels at its disposal to have this matter resolved before this reputational risk undermines Barbados’ standing as a jurisdiction of choice from which to operate”.

Ahead of the US
The World Economic Forum has ranked Barbados’ infrastructure – its roads, bridges, airport, harbour and other facilities – ahead of the United States’.In its latest global report on competitiveness, the WEF placed Barbados in the 22nd spot, a notch above the United States at 23rd. In the United States the classification triggered much anguish about the state of the infrastructure and criticism of the Forum’s methodology that measures competitiveness. American experts and analysts are asking the question: is Barbados’ infrastructure that good or America’s really so bad? The discussion is being waged in blogs and the Washington Post newspaper. The American Society of Civil Engineers has given the United States’ infrastructure a failing “D” grade.

$60,000 Ruling
BRIDGETOWN, Guided by a Landmark 2007 judgment, the High Court has ruled that an employer must pay a driver who fell from her defective lorry more than $60 000 in damages. The recent case involving driver Leroy Dacosta Roach, 45, of Sutherland Hill, St Lucy, and truck owner Mary Anne Alleyne, involved the issue of whether Roach was Alleyne’s employee and therefore entitled to “a duty of care”, or whether he was an independent contractor. Justice Kaye Goodridge ruled on November 10 that there was indeed a breach of duty of care by Alleyne, resulting in injury to Roach, who will receive $20 000 in general damages, $39 325 for past loss of earnings and $7 480 in special damages. “This case was guided by the principles which were elucidated in the case of Sagicor Insurance Co. vs Livingstone Carter et al.,” Roach’s attorney, Clement Lashley, QC, told local reporters.

$50 Million Rethink
BRIDGETOWN, The clock may be ticking on the Four Seasons Barbados project, with officials of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) still mulling over a $50 million investment proposal. Members of the NIS board were summoned to a special November 13 Cabinet meeting, after a report was issued by NIS investment analysts recommending that the Scheme go no further with the proposal. At a subsequent meeting of the board’s investment committee the following day, the analysts were advised to take a second look at the proposed investment and to report in short order. “They have been asked to review their report and to factor in villa sales,” said one insider, who pointed out that the original plan was for a hotel and 34 villas.

QEH Checkup
James, made this disclosure in a recent interview with local reporters. “We have revised the arrangements for overseas referrals to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital which . . . deal with addressing the administrative arrangement for referrals, as well as the method of payment and how payments are to be made prior to admission to the QEH,” Dr. James reported. He spoke of patients from overseas turning up at the QEH for “indiscriminate access”, without the knowledge of the administration of the QEH and, “by extension, without the knowledge of our consultants”. Dr. James said that previously patients “essentially booked commercial airlines and presented themselves to immigration were given admission to the country and then they would turn up at the QEH Accident & Emergency Department with various kinds of conditions”.

Dr. Dexter James BRIDGETOWN, An improved system of communicating between local immigration officials and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has resulted in better monitoring of non-nationals who come to Barbados seeking medical attention at the Martindales Road, St Michael health facility. Chief executive officer of the hospital, Dr. Dexter

Life didn’t begin in Barbados, it was just perfected here. Learn how at VisitBarbados.org V VisitBarbados.org a or contact your local travel professional.

November 23, 2011

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

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EC News
Permission Withdrawn
CASTRIES, Tourism Minister Allen Chastanet says the Barbados government has withdrawn REDjet’s permission to fly the Barbados-St. Lucia route. “I am not certain of the full details, but I know that REDjet had called for a press conference and a day before the press conference they called to cancel the event. “My understanding is that they were hopeful to get their license and I guess when they physically went to collect it they discovered that while it was promised it was not approved,” he said. Officials of the Barbados-based airline had planned to host a joint news conference with the St. Lucia Tourist Board (SLTB) to announce the introduction of the service from the Hewanorra International Airport into Barbados with connections to Panama. But Chastanet told reporters that REDjet had been informed that permission had been denied and that he was not certain whether that had anything to do with the ongoing discussions between trade unions and the regional airline, LIAT. He said he hoped the REDjet issue would be resolved soon, “because REDjet is registered in Barbados and I keep pleading with the government of Barbados that if they are going to have an airline, allow it to fly”. Chastanet said he was still patiently waiting for some progress to be made on the matter, adding “I think for the government of Barbados at this particular juncture to be selecting where the plane can go and not go, is unfair to the remaining sister countries in CARICOM, as it flies in the face of the CARICOM agreements that we have signed in terms of having an open skies arrangement. “I am still hopeful that the government of Barbados and in particular the Minister and the Ministry will announce that REDjet can start flying,” he said. Chastanet said that REDjet operating out of Hewanorra International Airport in the south, would not be competing with LIAT which does not operate a service there. REDjet was originally due to commencce its St Lucia operations last month.

Bidders For BAICO
BASSETERRE, The Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union has revealed that a number of high quality bidders have come forward to purchase the traditional business of the British American Insurance Company (BAICO) and the Council expects to complete transactions within the first half of next year.In a recent statement, the Council acknowledged that while in February it had indicated that the complex transaction would take six to nine months to complete, the need to obtain regulatory approvals for the sale of the business across nine territories (the Eastern Caribbean and The Bahamas) was a process unlikely to be completed by the end of this year and therefore the final phase of the process of selling BAICO’s traditional business was expected to be completed in the first half of 2012.The council disclosed that it was seeking legal advice on the best way to effect the transfer of the traditional business across nine separate countries, among other issues. It said that the Eastern Caribbean governments and the judicial management team handling BAICO had worked together to identify some of the key technical and practical challenges involved in effecting this transfer. According to the statement, actuaries have been engaged to undertake more detailed analysis of the portfolio and the financial contribution needed to recapitalize BAICO’s traditional business. For a start, the judicial managers of BAICO have begun legal proceedings against CL Financial in Trinidad and Tobago as they seek to recover US$49.5 million owed by CL Financial to BAICO as part of their work in rationalising BAICO’s liabilities. Trinidad is also expected to play a key role in providing assistance to BAICO policyholders (including important institutions within the ECCU, such as banks and credit unions) who have non-traditional policies, such as Executive Flexible Premium Annuities. At the moment funding is still being sought from the government of Trinidad and Tobago in order to provide financial support to these policyholders. In Barbados, where the sale of BAICO’s assets is being undertaken as a separate transaction, the judicial manager has indicated that the company’s insurance portfolio could soon be transferred in a two-phase transaction to a reputable and highly regarded company. David Holukoff of KPMG has stated that this multi-tiered transaction would see the health and property books would be transferred ahead of the life and annuity business.The chartered accountant and certified fraud examiner said the decision to first transfer the health and property books was because they were smaller, less complicated and required more immediate attention

New Banking Headquarters
THE VALLY, Fisheries officials in Anguilla said the population of the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) appears to be growing at a rapid rate and poses a serious threat to its coral reef ecosystems. The Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources (DFMR) said more than thirty lionfish have been captured within weeks at three different locations around the island. “This increase in lionfish numbers does not bode well for our coral reef fishery resources and the ecological well-being of the coral reef ecosystems in Anguilla,” the DFMR stated.So far, over 100 lionfish specimens have been captured and dissected as the DFMR tries to determine what they are feeding on. “The lionfish poses a serious threat to local fisheries because they are voracious predators which can devour the young of many of the commercial fish species in Anguilla as well as by out-competing the adult commercial fish for food,” the department further stated.”By severely reducing the adult coral reef fish populations, lionfish have the potential to upset the natural balance and functioning of coral reef ecosystems.”The DFMR said it will continue its targeted removal programme at a number of popular near-shore coral reef sites and beaches.It disclosed plans for a series of awareness sessions with members of the fishing community in the coming months to gain support for a number of proposed comprehensive management measures. These include the implementation of notake Marine Protected Areas and the protection of some species of grouper, which preliminary studies indicate may be one of the few known predators of lionfish in the Caribbean at present. The department added: “Lionfish hunts or removal programmes alone will not be enough to effectively control the rapidly increasing lionfish population in Anguilla, and so our best option is to protect a number of grouper species and hope that over time these grouper species, as well as other large reef fish, will adapt and prey on the destructive lionfish species in Anguilla’s waters.”

Committee Meets
ST GEORGE'S - The regulatory framework for Professional Services in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) was one of the topics discussed at a recent meeting in St. George’s of the National Trade Policy Coordinating Committee. Another topic discussed was titled, “Rum – The Threat to Exports from the Caribbean.’’ The National Trade Policy Coordinating Committee is an advisory body set up by the Ministry of Environment, Foreign Trade and Export Development to provide inputs from key players in the development of policies with respect to trade and export. The committee comprises representatives from government ministries and statutory bodies, private sector, non-governmental organisations and other trade groups. The meeting was chaired by Hon. Joseph Gilbert, Minister for Trade and Export Development who updated members on the involvement of Grenada on regional and international trade issues in preparation for the Thirty-third meeting of the Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

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Detached Bungalow: $449,900
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November 23, 2011

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 11

Featured Property
Stunning 2 Storey Condo Townhouse

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Guyana Digest
Crash Report Forthcoming Marriot Turns Sod
GEORGETOWN, Guyana is one step closer to boasting a Marriott-branded hotel after a sod-turning ceremony at the proposed Kingston, Georgetown site was held on Sunday, November 20. Marriott International Inc. announced last year that it intended to open its first Marriott-branded hotel here in 2013.After an earlier delay since the announcement, due mainly to financing, Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI) has disclosed that it was ready to move ahead with the massive investment. This comes weeks after outgoing President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that the project was still in the pipeline. The 160-room Georgetown Marriott Hotel is on track to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is on track to becoming Marriott’s first LEED hotel in the Caribbean & Latin America. It will operate under a management agreement with AHI, currently owned by the Government of Guyana, as part of a publicprivate partnership between the Administration and private sector investors. Caribbean Airlines crash GEORGETOWN, The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is expected to submit a report on its investigations into the July 31 Caribbean Airlines crash-landing in Guyana within the next few weeks. A GCAA source said recently that the preliminary report covers the circumstances leading to the incident in which the Boeing 737, bearing registration 9Y-PBM, broke in two shortly after landing at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri in July with 161 people on board. The report will be submitted to Guyanese Transport Minister Robeson Benn. Acting Director General of the GCAA, Paula McAdam, told reporters that she could not offer any information on the results of the investigation. There were no fatalities when the CAL aircraft landed in Guyana. A number of passengers were injured. Tourism Minister Manniram Prashad said Guyana welcomes this venture wholeheartedly, adding that it translates into added accommodation of an international standard. “We are having a Marriott brand; this will be sold internationally… and with a casino, it will be even better,” an enthused Prashad told local reporters. He said that with more and more tourists becoming attracted to this country, a facility of this magnitude will surely fill the void the demand has created. “All the hotels are filled now in Guyana; filled to capacity. The resorts in the interior locations for bird watching are filled until June next year,” the minister said. He also revealed that discussions are ongoing with several other investors interested in the hotel industry. While the minister refused to go into detail on the projects, he said one of the hotels would be located on Main Street, another next to the Chinese Embassy opposite the Botanical Gardens and a third at Liliendaal near the Guyana International Conference Centre. Marriott International, Inc. has nearly 500 locations in 60 countries around the world

The Donald on Walkabout
GEORGETOWN, Guyana’s homemade version of “ The Donald” PPP/C presidential candidate, Mr. Donald Ramotar, took to the Georgetown City streets recently on a meet-the-people walkabout. Ramoutar and members of his small entourage took time during their walk to fortify themselves with a welcome cuppa at the Fogarty’s Rosebud Cafeteria. The walkers moved south along Water Street and east into the Vendor’s Arcade and over into lower Regent, before making a beeline for Party headquarters, Freedom House on Robb Street, where the journey ended.

Donald Ramotar

Guyana Open For Gold Mining Business
GEORGETOWN, Guyana Goldfields Inc. has signed a Mineral Agreement (MA) with the Government of Guyana and has received the Mining License for the Aurora Gold Project. This is the first arge-scale mining license to be issued in the gold sector in Guyana since 1991. The MA details all fiscal, property, importexport procedures, taxation provisions and other related conditions for the continued exploration, mine development and operation of the Aurora Gold Project. Significant among the terms include: Mining royalties of 5% on gold sales at a price of gold of US $1,000/oz or less; Royalties of 8% on gold sales at a price of gold over US $1,000/oz; Corporate income tax rate of 30% and no withholding tax on interest payments to lenders; as well as duty and value added tax exemptions on all imports of equipment and materials for all continuing operations at the Aurora Gold Project, including the construction and operation of a planned port facility, road and power improvements and the construction and operation of the mine. The Mining License is the Company's permit to build and operate the Aurora Gold Project. The document is valid starting immediately for an initial 20-year term with provisions for extension on application by the Company. According to a Guyana Government Release, the MA and Mining License signal the commitment of the Government of Guyana and GGI to the development of the Aurora Gold Project. This is an extremely important milestone for the Company as it will allow the advancement of the mine development project under a clear and stable fiscal and royalty regime. Construction work on the mine site facilities and the mill will begin immediately in the first quarter of 2012 and is scheduled to be completed over a period of 24 months which includes contingency. The mine and mill are planned to be fully operational by Q1 2014. Guyana Goldfiled CEO Patrick Sheridan, JR called the Agreement a historic landmark “This is historic landmark agreement for the Company and Guyana, which strikes a fair and reasonable balance of taxation and royalties for gold mining, sets the stage for future large scale gold mining operations and reaffirms GGI's view that Guyana is "open for business"."

November 23, 2011

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Inna D Yard
Parties In Check
KINGSTON, Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair says both major political parties — the Jamaica Labour Party ( JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) — have conceded that they have members they are unable to control in their efforts to abide by the Political Code of Conduct, but vowed to ensure the rules are obeyed as the country prepares for a general election. The ombudsman said he would not be daunted in using his efforts to enforce the code which sets out appropriate behaviour for politicians, including non-violence and non-intimidation, safety of property, public utterances and freedom of access. Speaking at a recent training session to create awareness of the Political Code of Conduct among stakeholders, ahead of the impending election, Bishop Blair said he recently met with the general secretaries of both the JLP and PNP and they both admitted that they had difficult individuals in their ranks. "Both of them conceded that they have members in their party that they cannot touch. They, are in their words, 'time bombs', and therefore sometimes when I make rulings they have to set aside and try to prevent the time bombs from going off," Blair said. The training workshop at the Planning Institute of Jamaica in Kingston included liaison officers for the political ombudsman's office from each division of the police force; representatives from the Social Development Commission, the Citizen's Action for Free and Fair Elections, the Peace Management Initiative and Church Umbrella groups. Chairman and executive director of the National Integrity Action Limited Professor Trevor Munroe said the workshop was the first in a series of meetings involving various stakeholders including the political candidates about the code of conduct. He said the English-speaking Caribbean was the only region in the world which did not have some kind of regulation of political campaign financing, but said a significant step forward was expected in this matter shortly.

Sauce Controversy
LONDON, The secret recipe for Reggae Reggae Sauce was not inherited from Levi Roots’ Jamaican grandmother; and the successful British-based entrepreneur has a gangland past. These were two startling revelations that came to light recently during an ongoing High Court case wherein Roots’ former business partner, Chef Tony Bailey, 52, has accused him of stealing the coveted recipe while the pair ran a jerk chicken stall at the popular Notting Hill Carnival. Bailey and financial advisor Sylvester Williams are suing Roots for more than £600,000 after they claimed he cut them out of an agreement to launch the sauce together. Roots – real name Keith Valentine Graham – appeared on Dragons’ Den in 2007 and became the most successful contestant on Dragons’ Den and a millionaire to boot on the strength of his popular condiment. But the former reggae star, 53, has admitted he lied on the BBC show when he said the secret recipe was handed down by his grandmother and the Reggae Reggae Sauce proprietor also confessed that another claim – that the sauce had been the taste of the Notting Hill Carnival for 15 years – was a marketing ploy. Questioned in the court about the sauce being his grandmother’s recipe, Roots admitted that was untrue. He said: ‘I was trying to create the flavour my grandmother used to cook for me. How she used to do what she called relish.’ However, the former reggae star says he created the sauce from a basic recipe, and was trying to 'recreate' the flavour of his grandmother's original jerk chicken seasoning. He also claimed that while the sauce wasn't sold at the Notting Hill Carnival, he and Bailey sold jerk chicken and people came to their stall just to see Levi Roots himself. Roots claimed his story about his sauce being 'the taste of Notting Hill Carnival' was in reference to his reputation at the Caribbean street celebration. Reading from the sauce label, Ian Glen QC, acting for the claimants, said: 'On the bottle of sauce, it says "Our family in Jamaica have been blending home-made jerk sauce since way back, and for years it's been the taste of London's Notting Hill Carnival." Is that true?'Roots replied: 'No, that's not true. It's a marketing ploy. 'When I was trying to market the sauce, I thought of every conceivable way that I was connected with music and the Notting Hill Carnival. I cooked all that in a bag together and tried my best to make a story about it.' When Glen asked about the claim that it was his grandmother's recipe, he admitted that this was also untrue. Roots said: 'My way of trying to market the sauce when I started out was to put in all my experience with people in my life and my family. 'I was trying to create the flavour that my grandmother used to cook for me. How she used to do what she called relish. 'I was trying to recreate that flavour and that is the reason why my grandmother is on it. I thought it apt to put her legacy in there.' He also admitted lying in his first cookbook by denying his gangland past. Bailey and Williams claim breach of confidence, over the sauce recipe, and breach of contract. Roots denies their claims and insists the pair have no rights in the sauce or the business. The hearing continues.

9 Months For Con Man
KINGSTON, A man who conned another out of $100,000, after placing a false advertisement in a newspaper for the sale of a motor car, has been sentenced to nine months in prison when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court. The sentence was handed down by Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey when Fenton Stephens appeared in court for sentencing. He received a custodial sentence despite pleas for leniency from his attorney who also begged the magistrate to take into consideration that her client had repaid the complainant. However, the magistrate was adamant that Stephens would have to serve time as the practice was becoming too prevalent. "This thing about publishing things in newspaper and conning people is very serious. When a person goes through so much trouble to con people he must do time for it. And I don't want anyone to come up here and think they can pay back the money and everything will be all right," she said. According to the police, Stephens placed an advertisement in a daily newspaper on October 2 for the sale of a Toyota Corolla motor car valued at $650,000. He was later contacted by the complainant and arrangements were made for the complainant to make a downpayment of $100,000. On the day that the money was deposited into the account that Stephens gave to the complainant, arrangements were made for the complainant to meet him at a fast-food restaurant in Mandeville, Manchester to view the car. However, when the complainant arrived, Stephens could not be found and several calls to his cellular phone went unanswered. The complainant then checked on the money that he had deposited and found out that it was removed from that account. As a result he reported the matter to the police. Stephens was arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretence on October 31. When he was held he reportedly told the police, "Officer mi can pay back the money".

Fraud Trial Stalled
KINGSTON, The fraud trial of former Cash Plus boss Carlos Hill has been stalled in the Home Circuit Court. It has now been pushed backed to March 12 next year. One of Hill’s lawyers, Valerie Neita Robertson told the Court that there were some financial aspects that needed to be settled. She also said there is a civil matter before the Court of Appeal that would affect the criminal matter now before the Home Circuit Court. Neita Robertson said she only became aware of the civil matter last year, when she had a discussion with the Cash Plus liquidator Hugh Wildman. In addition, Neita Robertson said Hill’s other attorney Patrick Atkinson has some difficulty at the time. Meanwhile, the prosecution said it is ready to start the Cash Plus fraud trial. The prosecution also said it intends to call nine witnesses. Hill’s $15 million bail was then extended and the matter rescheduled. The former Cash Plus boss is charged with fraudulently inducing persons to invest in Cash Plus. The charge stemmed from the collapse of the five-year-old multi-billion-dollar alternative investment scheme which crashed in 2008. The former Cash Plus head is accused of operating a ponzi scheme , an offence which carries a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment. Carlos Hill is also before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on other charges related to the collapse of Cash Plus. Hill, his brother Bertram, and Peter Wilson, the former chief financial officer of Cash Plus, are facing the charges of obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to defraud and fraudulent conversion. The three were arrested and charged in April 2008 following the Cash Plus collapse.

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November 23, 2011

Trinbago News
Work To Be Done
PORT-Of-SPAIN, Works Minister Jack Warner said the scale of destruction in the wake of flooding in northwest Trinidad will severely tax the already overburdened emergency relief fund. Warner was part of a convoy of Cabinet Ministers who joined Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on a six hour November 20 tour of the worst hit areas between Maraval and Diego Martin. "When I was coming here I was thinking that if we had twice the amount (in the emergency fund) it would not be enough," he said, while speaking with reporters in Waterhole, Cocorite. "Therefore we have to have some kind of strategic plan that will do the critical work first, you know, prioritise. Because as you know, everything is a priority," he said. Warner said the retention ponds in downtown Port of Spain solved some of the flooding problems but there was always more to do. Flooding in the higher lands of west Trinidad is rare and Warner said the illegal and unchecked development on the surrounding mountain could have contributed to the level of damage in the areas over the weekend. Warner said he wished he could legislate the governing the use of the mountainside "immediately". But while he warned that the time had come to stop the "name and blame" game, he was pointing fingers at the hillside development and lack of overarching legislation for the weekend devastation. "That is part of the problem, people on the hills and they of course deforest the hills and we suffer as a result and we have to nip that in the bud," he said. He said the restructuring of the Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency Unit (PURE) will be on hold for just about seven days, but this experience with the road infrastructure damage taught him that road works cannot be done in a "piecemeal" fashion. “One of the things I am convinced about in terms of development, in terms of road repair, in terms of drainage you cannot do it piece-meal, you have to do it holistically or not at all," he said. Several residents blamed the Regional Corporation for the severe floods over the weekend, but Warner said this needed to stop. "This is a country of blame and name. Of what value is it to blame anybody? You have to correct it. We come into office we blame the People's National Movement (PNM). We cannot beat Guyana we blame Jack Warner. At one point the blame game must stop," he said.

Jumbies At School
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh was on local televison recently sharing disturbing details about the number of children in the school system in danger of becoming uneducated. These are children, in both primary and secondary schools, with attention deficit disorder, autism, dyslexia, neurological issues, cerebral palsy and serious social problems, he said. There is need to pay special attention to this 30 per cent of the school population, he said, so that they were not become unteachable and lost. Gopeesingh may need to develop a new criteria for the at-risk children of the Moruga Secondary School. here are children (and some members of staff ) at that school who believe, and will swear on holy books, that the compound is being visited weekly by "jumbies". The supernatural beings are entering the bodies of mostly female pupils, causing them to writhe on the ground, screaming and speaking unintelligibly, suddenly obtaining superhuman strength, and the ability to walk on walls. The belief is now so entrenched, that the school is effectively closed, with only a fraction of the school population—staff and pupils—showing up on any given day. Nobody wants their child to be possessed. The "demons" first began their visitations last November, causing academic chaos during the final weeks of the school term. An "emergency" interfaith service was held after a series of unfortunate events began with 25 female pupils being taken to the Princes Town District and San Fernando General hospitals after they complained of out of body experiences, headaches and nausea. The Education Ministry's Student Support Services Division and nine members of the Ministry of Health's Mental Health Department were assigned to the school, and produced a report that is still to be disclosed publicly. Experts believed then as they do now that the supernatural "visitations" were nothing more than a case of mass hysteria. Many in Moruga appear to be unconvinced.

20,000 Short Term Job Solution
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Labour Minister Errol McLeod has indicated that the Government's plan to create 20,000 new jobs through the $300 million "Colour Me Orange" project was a short-term solution.The project was launched on November 13 at the Hilton Trinidad in Port of Spain. "We do not think that it is sustainable. We will only just relieve unemployment for the time being," said McLeod to reporters after the Youth Entrepreneurship Symposium at the National Academy for the Performing Art in Port of Spain. He said the Government was discussing more sustainable solutions, with elements of its plans to be detailed "shortly". "Our efforts are to expand the economy. We must begin to seriously address the question of revolutionising our education of our young people, beginning with the primary level, and match our education system with what we are going to be doing for development, so there can be sustainability," said McLeod. He added that the youth unemployment rate was very high but was hopeful that "we will lick the unemployment problem comprehensively". In his address at the symposium, McLeod encouraged young people to become entrepreneurs, saying the country's youth will steer the country towards sustainable development. "You are the gatekeepers of our country's innovation and productivity," he said. "While my other colleagues are overwhelmed by people looking for employment, I think we must applaud ourselves by looking to create employment.... You are arguably the most technologically and highly educated generation in our country's history. Don't let anyone get you down. You have more ability than everyone else," he added.

Boardroom Leak
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Lawrence Duprey was concerned there may have been an informer in the boardroom of CL Financial and as a matter of precaution decided to keep the sale of CLICO Energy to a foreign company a private matter, former CL corporate secretary Gita Sakal has said. Sakal made the statement while being led into evidence by her attorney Justin Phelps at the ongoing Commission of Enquiry into the collapse of CL Financial and the Hindu Credit Union (HCU). Some 84 million shares of CLICO Energy which amounted to a 51 per cent stake in the company were sold to a Barbados-registered company called Proman Holdings after a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2009 with the former PNM government for a billion-dollar bailout of CL Financial. Sakal said the reason the sale was kept secret was because Duprey raised concerns about a "leak" at the CL Financial board level, Sakal said. "I complied with Mr Duprey's request for confidentiality on that basis. I chose to obey the confidentiality of the chairman. I took my vow of confidentiality seriously," she said. Sakal admitted that the sale of CLICO Energy had breached the MOU signed with the State. "At the time there were little breaches in the MOU, I agree (the MOU) was not strictly followed," Sakal said. A recent report indicated that Duprey, Andre Monteil and Sakal herself, the disgraced CL Financial conglomerate’s top executives in had made off with tens of millions of dollars in consultancy fees and commissions for which no taxes were paid while raking in fat annual pay deals with generous perks which included a luxury car, club membership and corporate credit card, among other things. The group's former top three corporate bosses and Duprey's personal chauffeur Rupert Superville were paid a whopping $80.3 million in consultancy fees and commissions for which no taxes were paid to the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR), according to a Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) BIR tax assessment for income years 2007 to 2009. Credit card payments, miscellaneous insurance and foreign travel totaling $7.9 million for the group's top three are listed among the items flagged by the BIR for income years 2007 and 2008. The CL Financial group was placed under State supervision on January 30, 2009 following a run on its investment bank and insurance companies.

9 New Aircraft
PORT-OF-SPAIN, State carrier Caribbean Airlines (CAL) has taken delivery in Toulouse, France, of its first ATR 72-600 aircraft. CAL, which becomes one of the very first operators of the new ATR-600 series, booked a US$200 million contract earlier this year for the purchase of nine ATRs. The aircraft are configured with 68 seats. With the new delivered ATR 72-600s Caribbean Airlines will start replacing its fleet of five 50-seat Q-300s and introducing newest and most technologically advanced turboprops into its domestic routes, ATR said in a November 9 emailed statement . The airline will also add passenger capacity and develop new routes and frequencies within Trinidad and Tobago. Caribbean Airlines will also operate some of its new ATR 72-600s on the domestic route network of Air Jamaica, which was recently acquired by Trinidad and Tobago's flag carrier. The new ATR aircraft was expected to arrive in Trinidad on November 15. Robert Corbie, acting chief executive officer, Caribbean Airlines, said in the statement: "The introduction of this very first ATR 72-600 aircraft marks a real milestone in our national aviation. It will bring even better connectivity and comfort to our passengers, at optimal fares."

November 23, 2011

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 15

Banna’s Belly Busta Classics
Pepsi Theory
by Mark Bannister

Smart Trini
A Trinidadian Man walks into a prestigious private bank in midtown Manhattan and asks for the loan officer who politely tries to direct him to a more... commercial establishment. The Trini Man says he's going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000. The loan officer says the bank will need some kind of security for the loan, so the Trini Man hands over the keys to a new Rolls Royce. The car is parked on the street in front of the bank. He has all the papers including the title and everything checks out. The bank agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. An employee of the bank then proceeds to drive the Rolls into the bank's underground garage and parks it there. Two weeks later, the Trini Man returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $20.41. The loan officer says, "Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow $5,000?" The Trini Man replies. "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $20.41 and expect it to be there when I return?".

The Italian Secret to a Long Marriage
At St. Peter's Catholic Church in Toronto , they have weekly husbands' marriage seminars. At the session last week, the priest asked Giuseppe, who said he was approaching his 50th wedding anniversary, to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he had managed to stay married to the same woman all these years. Giuseppe replied to the assembled husbands, 'Wella, I'va tried to treat her nicea, spenda da money on her, but besta of all is, I tooka her to Italy for the 25th anniversary!' The priest responded, 'Giuseppe, you are an amazing inspiration to all the husbands here! Please tell us what you are planning for your wife for your 50th anniversary?' Giuseppe proudly replied, " I gonna go pick her up.

A man and his wife were getting a divorce at a local court. But the custody of their children posed a problem. The mother jumped to her feet and protested to the judge that since she had brought the children into this world, she should retain custody of them. The man also wanted custody of his children. The judge asked for his side of the story too. After a long moment of silence, the man rose from the chair and replied: "Judge, when I put a dollar into a vending machine, and a Pepsi comes out, does the Pepsi belong to me or to the machine?"

Early Morning Lecture
An elderly man was stopped by the police around 2 a.m. and was asked where he was going at that time of night. The man replied, "I'm on my way to a lecture about alcohol abuse and the effects it has on the human body, as well as smoking and staying out late." The officer then asked, "Really? Who's giving that lecture at this time of night?" The man replied, "That would be my wife."

Misinterpretation
An elderly Jamaican woman had just returned to her home from an evening of Church services when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled, "Stop! Acts 2:38!" (Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven). The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you." "Scripture?" replied the burglar. She said she had an Ax and Two 38's!"

Wrong Ticket
A flight attendant was stationed at the departure gate to check tickets. As a man approached, she extended her hand for the ticket, and he opened his trench coat and flashed her. Without missing a beat she said, "Sir, I need to see your ticket, not your stub."

Innovative Granma
A man came walking up to his grandparent's house when he noticed his grandfather sitting on the porch in a rocking chair with nothing on from the waist down. "Grandpa, what are you doing?" he exclaimed. The old man looked off in the distance without answering. Grandpa, what are you doing sitting out here with nothing on below the waist?" he asked again. The old man slowly looked at him and said, "well, last week I sat out here with no shirt on and I got a stiff neck. This is your grandma's idea."

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

November 23, 2011

Home Affairs

Wills and Estates
A.

by Aneesa Oumarally
One of the most litigated areas of law in Ontario is in the area of Estates. In my years of practice, I have come across some common concerns and questions. In the following, I have tried to provide some answers to commonly asked questions relating to Wills and Estates. Q. What is a Will? A. A will is a document which takes effect when you die and each individual has to make a will Q. What does a will allow you to do? A. i) It lets you leave instructions on how you want your property to be divided and distributed when you die. ii) It lets you name a person (Estate Trustee) who will wrap up all of your personal affairs and carry out the instructions left in your will iii) If you have children under 18, a will also allows you to name a guardian and to state your wishes as to who should look after your children after your death iv) It can minimize your tax burden when giving property away. Q. Is it important to have a will? A. If you die without a will, your property will be divided according to the laws of Ontario.One of the downfalls of these rules is that it may not take into consideration: a. Dependants (other than children) b. Your current spouse takes a preferential share (what if this was your second marriage and you wanted your children to take because your spouse had enough as it is? Or that they were in their minority/ still going to school?) c. Without a will your estate would pay the full extent of the probate taxes, because of course you would not have met with a lawyer and other professionals to minimize your tax burden on death. d. You may not be able to exclude certain persons from your will eg. Your daughter's husband from getting the benefit of the money that you wanted to really go to your daughters. e. You prevent fighting- everyone will know what your wishes are. Q. What does one need to make a will? A. i) You need to make a detailed list of all of your asset including the location of the asset, any identification numbers (bank account number/policy number). ii) You need to make out a detailed list of all of your liabilities. A good suggestion is to take a photograph of all of your jewelry. Q. What about the person who will take care of my affairs? A. You need to know who is going to be your EXECUTOR/ATTORNEY (Estate Trustee) i) This is especially important because this person is going to be carrying out your wishes upon death- WHO SHOULD YOU CHOSE? • Over 18 • Capable of this task- i.e. that they are not easily influenced; should know the beneficiaries; should know you well; • Know where to look for help • You should also name a CONTIGENT EXECUTOR/ATTORNEY • In the event that your attorney cannot act then who will act for them • If you have children then who will take care of them if you should die while in their minority? • Suggestion: The person who takes care of them should not also take care of the money for the estate! • The persons chosen should be around your age. Q. I have heard that some banks will be your executor is this a good idea?

It depends on the individual and how much money is in the estate and in some cases it may not be in the best interest of the estate, only because they do not know you and they charge the estate exorbitant amounts to administer the estate and sometimes it takes the estate years to be completed (think if a beneficiary is one at the person's death and they collect all of the proceeds at 18).

Worth Repeating: Home Winterization
According to Jim Wang "Winterizing" your home may prove to be far cheaper and easier than the alternative: undergoing a wintry emergency nightmare because your home was not properly prepared. With a weekend's worth of work, just about anyone can take the steps necessary to keep their home protected from Old Man Winter. The following is a checklist for what homeowners ought to be doing when prepping for the cold season. Stick to it, and you're sure to have a warmer and more relaxed winter experience.

Q. Is it a good idea for your lawyer to be the executor? A. There may be conflict of interest because the lawyer could be acting as your executor and the estate's lawyer and charging fees. Now if the lawyer is a family member or a good friend, you may still want them to act in this capacity. Remember when you include a professional to do the job as the executor you will have to pay them out of the proceeds of the estate. Q. Do you have to pay the executor? A. No, not usually, however, you do pay executors who are also one of your professionals- eg. Your lawyer etc. However if your estate is a large one then your executors should be compensated because the task becomes a huge one. Q. How long does it usually take to wind up an estate matter? A. It depends, however the standard is as long as there are beneficiaries in their minorities. Q. Can a couple make one will? A. No. Each person is considered an individual in law and therefore each person must make a will. Q. What is the cost of the will? A. The price of a simple will can vary from law firm to law firm. Q. Why would I not buy a will kit as advertised? A. Because it does not come with advice- don't be misled instructions on how to fill a document out is not advice. Q. What is a living will? A. A living will is a power of attorney basically. There are two types of POA - Personal Care and Property. Personal Care • Allows others to make decisions about your person if you are incapacitated; Property • Takes effect the date it is singed and allows your attorney to do anything you can do as a person to property- mortgage, sell, etc. Q. How old should you be to make a will? A. Never to early to make a will, but at least 18 years of age. Q. When should you make a new will? A. Upon marriage (will revoked) Review will upon the following circumstances: • Upon separation/divorce • Birth of new child • Children in their majorities • Grandchildren • Executor dies • Spouse dies • Marriage of the children • Come into large sums of money Q. Any other suggestions: A. i) Do not leave an original will in a safety deposit box because the banks need the will to open the safety deposit box - how else would they know who your executor is. ii) A copy of a will is no good unless it is notarized. iii) When you are doing the will or prior, ask your executor if they will act. iv) Ensure if you chose other persons to act with the executor that they get along. v) Speak to your adult children about your will/wishes vi) Let your executor know what funeral arrangements you will want vii) Plan and pay for your funeral in advance or leave a nest egg of about $10,000.00 somewhere unless you have life insurance to pay for funeral expenses.

Reverse ceiling fan rotation
One incredibly useful tip for better setting up your home for winter is to reverse the rotation of your fans. During the summer, a counter-clockwise fan motion results in cooler air being pushed down into the home, as a result of the way the blades are angled. During the winter, you can switch this up so that warmer air is channeled downward instead. This puts otherwise stagnant fans to some good use.

Inspect your furnace
Firing up the furnace in fall before the dead of winter hits is the best way to avoid having your heat go out when you really need it. Check for rough sounds and a lingering foul smell (a brief bad odor when you first turn your furnace on is normal.) You do not want to experience a weekend where the house is unable to be heated. Make sure you sort problems out when the weather is still decent.

Insulate water pipes
Through either traditional fiberglass insulation and other heat-retaining material, or through wired electric warming wraps, it's essential that you make sure all piping you have access to that runs through unheated portions of the house is properly kept bundled up. Take this time to make sure you know exactly where the turn-off valve is for your water main in case you must take all necessary precautions before a blizzard blows through.

Seal cracks in windows, doors, and ducts
Wait for a particularly chilly autumn day and walk around inspecting for drafts. Seal cracks in doors with either insulation material manufactured for that purpose, or through some do-it-yourself means of keeping the cold air out. Install your storm windows or cover your panes in thin plastic insulation material available at major home improvement centers. Next, inspect ventilation ducts for cracks and separations, as vast amounts of heating can escape through poorly fitted duct work.

Store summer tools and prep winter ones
The lawnmower becomes just another backyard ornament in the summertime when it's being used every other week. Along with other warm weather equipment, lawnmowers can easily be left out to be exposed to the elements for the duration of winter. This can cause serious damage to the motor. Not only is it important to store such equipment, it's also vital that you drain the fuel if it's going to be stored in an unheated garage. This is also a good time to make sure your snow shovels, snow blower, and other winter equipment are in working condition.

Stock up on supplies
The best thing you can do for your home as you prepare for winter is to waste no time stockpiling snow salt, emergency supplies, and even investing in a gas-powered generator if you live in a remote or sparsely populated area. You don't want to be one of those people scrambling to find a bag of salt on the eve of the first blizzard of the season. Such a proactive policy now is certain to spare you some stress in the future. As a homeowner, there is probably no other asset as precious to you and your family than the residence you live in. Just like you wouldn't send your kid to school without a coat on, you certainly wouldn't leave your home dangerously exposed to low temperatures, sleet, and snow. With those tips, you might be able to save a little bit of money too. Just be sure to put it into a high yield savings account to get even a little more extra.

November 23, 2011

Money Management
Do you know what a TFSA is? Do you have one? Do you know what’s in it and what it can do for you? (Here’s a secret: It’s even better than you think!) With the introduction of the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), we Canadian girls now have more options than ever before to help us save money and reduce taxes. There are a lot of us out there who have opened a TFSA since they became available in 2009, but how many of us have really looked into how powerful this account can be? It’s time to start getting excited! The TFSA is designed to help Canadians save for important goals and reduce their overall tax bill. If you live in Canada and are at least 18 years old, you can contribute up to $5,000 per year to a TFSA and then watch your savings grow tax-free throughout your lifetime. Now, $5,000 per year doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s a start, and that annual limit will be increased over time. You put the money in, you get the money and the growth back out – TAX-FREE. It’s just that simple! Simple, but of HUGE value. Think about it – in a regular ‘non-registered’ account, every dollar of investment income (e.g. interest, dividends, etc.) is taxed, and so are your capital gains – meaning you have to earn more than a dollar to get a dollar (depending on your tax bracket, this could mean $1.35, $1.50, $1.75…you get the picture, and the tax man gets paid first). In an RRSP, you get a tax break up front, but when you start withdrawals, the tax man has his hand out then. With the TFSA, YOU DON’T PAY TAX ON THE GROWTH OF YOUR INVESTMENTS. You make a dollar, you get to keep that whole dollar, and the government won’t get their paws on it. At all! See how big this can be for you?

Tax Free Savings Accounts, Why Everyone Should Have One!
As a financial planners are huge fans of the TFSA, but it drives them nuts that it’s called the ‘Tax-Free SAVINGS ACCOUNT’, because this little tool is so much more. For instance, it’s not just a cash account at your local bank or credit union – your investment advisor can set up a TFSA for you with real growth potential, including: •Mutual funds •Money market funds •Cash deposits •Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs) •Publicly traded securities • Government and corporate bonds

Are you always scrambling to meet We can showcutoff? early, regular the RRSP you why
Are you always scrambling to meet the RRSP cutoff? and steady contributions can make a We can show youyour income regular huge difference to why early, and steady at retirement. contributions can make

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1. Use your tax-refund wisely. You should use the tax refund from your RRSP contributions to invest in your TFSA for an optimal combination of growth and flexibility. 2. If you have used-up all of your RRSP contribution room and are looking for additional investments, ensure you use up all of your TFSA contribution room prior to investing in non-registered accounts – this way you’ll be keeping your profits all to yourself! 3. Resist the temptation to dip into your TFSA. The TFSA offers more flexibility than RRSPs and therefore, there are fewer barriers to discourage you from accessing the money. Remember, the longer your in-

RRSPs…

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 17

They’re not just for February anymore!

vestments sit uninterrupted, the longer you may benefit from the positive effects of tax-free compound growth. Discipline and a clear objective are essential when investing within a TFSA – this is where working with a professional advisor can help. If you have to call your advisor before pulling money out, with any luck she can talk you out of doing something stupid! 4. Procrastination can be costly, so make your TFSA contribution early in the year. The sooner you put your money into a TFSA, the sooner you stand to benefit from the effects of tax-free compound growth. If you can’t do it all in January, monthly contributions can also be effective. 5. Ideally, you should use your full allowable contribution room each year. But if you don’t, you will accumulate unused TFSA contribution room that can be used at a later date. Moreover, amounts withdrawn from your TFSA this year will be added to next year’s TFSA contribution limit. When possible and if it fits your financial strategy, try hard to maximize your TFSA contributions – the potential payoff is so worth it! 6. Investing in a TFSA during your accumulation years could help reduce your taxes in your golden years! There are claw-backs on income-tested benefits such as OldAge Security and Age Credits. That is, when it comes time to withdraw retirement funds you could find yourself making ‘too much money’ and not being able to keep your OAS benefits. Because withdrawals from your TFSA are non-taxable, they will not be included as part of your net income, potentially saving you money over time. 7. Unlike RRSPs, there is no age limit on making contributions to a TFSA. In fact,

you can contribute well into your retirement years, helping you save for shortterm goals like a new car or even home renovations, visits to the grandkids (or trips to get away from the grandkids)...whatever. 8. If you anticipate that your marginal tax rate will increase at a later date (i.e. because you’re making more money, you fabulous girl!), you may benefit by saving through your TFSA rather than making additional RRSP contributions. That’s because the tax reduction that your RRSP contribution may generate now may be less than the tax reduction it could generate later on. 9. Give your spouse or common-law partner the cash so that he can make his own TFSA contribution. Income attribution rules which govern spousal RRSPs or non-registered investments do not apply to the investment income or growth in your spouse’s TFSA. This can effectively double your family’s TFSA annual contributions if one partner cannot afford to make such an investment. Ka-ching! 10. Get expert help. In most cases, the TFSA is an investment vehicle that should complement your current retirement strategy, not be the primary focus. To find out what’s the best strategy for you, contact a professional advisor to discuss your own situation.

Run the numbers
Everybody’s situation is different, of course, but over time there’s going to be even more fabulous benefits from this program. Sit down and run the numbers – you’ll be amazed what a difference the TFSA can make!

Call Tony McWatt
Consultant

tony.mcwatt@investorsgroup.com 905.434.8400 ex. 54

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CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

November 23, 2011

Sports Beat

Overhaul Required
PORT-OF-SPAIN, The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) has come under heavy criticism following the national team's early elimination from 2014 World Cup qualifying. The Soca Warriors were beaten 2-1 at the Guyana National Stadium on November 11 to end any hopes of advancing to the next round of the CONCACAF qualifying campaign. Former national players Clayton Morris and Marlon Morris and ex-coach Everald "Gally" Cummings have all called for a complete change of leadership in the governing body. "I think the TTFF executive should resign," Marlon Morris bluntly told the Sunday Express, "because the footballing public has lost all confidence in their leadership. Nobody would put money in the TTFF." Morris, who recently failed in his bid to become president of the Northern Football Association, said further of the administration: "They lack credibility and the ability to think independently." He said the November 11 result did not come as a surprise since the team had been subject to "poor preparation". But he also claimed the TTFF had also let the players down. He said: "When players feel second class, when you hurt the football community, when the administration is fighting with the players, they are not going to play for you. Footballers are a fraternity. The passion isn't there... All of this is a function of poor leadership." Clayton Morris, T&T captain during the 1990 World Cup qualifying campaign, linked the failed 2010 campaign to Friday's loss. "It's very disappointing to see we went out so early. I don't think these teams should be knocking us out. But having said that, it's what we've been doing since 2006 (that is responsible). Since we blacklisted the (2006 World Cup) players, we started to go backwards." And referring to the resignation as Football Federation president last month of Oliver Camps, Morris said Camps' colleagues should follow his lead. "The rest of people should be man enough to let younger blood take over now. It's time for the changing of the guards...I don't think we could go forward if the same people remain there, same with coaching." Morris said a different approach was needed when it came to hiring coaches from overseas. "We have what it takes to bring our football to a level," he said. "To develop our football, we have to do it for ourselves." He said that if after that further experience was needed for
a qualifying series, then perhaps a foreign coach could be hired. And he recommended his old coach as the one to oversee the future development of the local game. "Gally Cummings should be the man given the responsibility to develop the football for the next couple of years, where he would have a panel of coaches going into the communities to find talent," Morris (C) said. "That wouldn't cost the amount of money involved in hiring a foreign coach." Cummings himself said the timing of Pfister's hiring, so close to the start of qualifying, was wrong. "You don't bring in a man at short notice to prepare a team. The side should have had a local preparing the team (well in advance)," he said. And with the qualifying effort over at the first stage, he sees no reason for Pfister to be retained. "The only person who benefitted from this is Pfister," he said. "I think the entire technical staff should go." However, Cummings laid ultimate blame for the failure of the 2014 effort at the feet of the TTFF and their ex-special adviser, Jack Warner. "I am tired of seeing the TTFF destroy football in this country," he said. Tongue-in-cheek, he added with reference to previous failed campaigns stretching back to 1990: "Jack Warner is in the best position as Minister of roads. He fixed the Road to Italy, he fixed the Road to France (1998) and the road to Germany (2006) still has many bumps. This road (Brazil 2012) get fixed too, because he was responsible for bringing Pfister." The former coach and technical adviser is now advocating that the senior team take a hiatus from international competition. "I think for the next two years, we should take part in no international tournaments until we build a proper foundation. Build the football to a level where we can compete and stop embarrassing the country... "Put an interim committee in place to hold onto the football until we get fair elections."

Double Bronze for Ince in Guadalajara

Shanntol Ince PORT-OF-SPAIN, Already in the history books by becoming the first Trinidad and Tobago representative at a Parapan American Games, 16 year old Shanntol Ince added a second chapter on November 18 by bagging bronze in the women's 100 metres backstroke S9 event, at the Scotiabank Aquatics Center, in Guadalajara, Mexico. Not satisfied with her achievement, Ince claimed another medal the very next day, securing bronze in the women's 100m freestyle S9. T&T Paralympic Committee (TTPC) president Ken McKell described Ince's double strike as "an historic moment" for the local Paralympic movement. "A milestone in our lives, and we plan to go from strength to strength with the support of all stakeholders who would have an interest in our community of persons with disabilities. TTPC is using sport to improve and enhance their lives. We certainly hope that it will create a greater awareness of the potential of persons with disabilities in sport." McKell, who travelled to Guadalajara as the T&T chefde-mission, paid tribute to Ince. "Her performance has certainly been inspiring," he told the Express, "and a true testament to the dedication and commitment of improving her life through sport." McKell said Ince is expected to be on show next year on the biggest sporting stage for para athletes. "All indications are that she will be representing Trinidad and Tobago at the London Paralympics 2012. "There are other athletes," the TTPC president continued, "who are training. Carlos Greene in shot put, wheelchair racer Ricky Singh, and Dennis La Rose in table tennis--they will be attending qualifying events in early 2012 in a bid to qualify." The late Rachael Marshall is the only T&T athlete to have earned precious metal at the Paralympics. At the 1984 Games, in New York, USA, she captured gold in the women's shot put L5 and javelin L5 events, as well as bronze in the women's 100m freestyle L6.

by Duane DaSilva Founder of Tribal Rhythm Nation Sports.

Success Celebrated
GEORGETOWN, The Executive and members of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) have extended congratulations to the players and Technical staff of Guyana’s flagship team, the ‘Golden Jaguars’ for their historic qualification to the Third-Round of the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 Qualifying competition. The performance of the team has seen Guyana reach heights and depths which were previously only imagined but may now become reality. The biggest win of the second-round without a doubt was Guyana’s 21 triumph at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, against Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca Warriors, who have been getting the better of Guyana for many years. But this time around, that dominance was not to be, as, urged on by a massive supportive crowd, clad in yellow, the Jaguars achieved a historic win which ended the hopes and aspirations of the Soca Warriors. President (ag) of the Guyana Football Federation, Franklin Wilson, on behalf of the members of the Federation, applauded the efforts of captain Christopher Nurse and all the players especially those from the professional ranks in England who have really enhanced the overall attitude of the team. The Technical Staff led by Jamal Shabazz also came in for high praise for the dedication and leadership they have given to the team even in challenging times. The President and Government of Guyana and the many business entities that have contributed were also praised by the GFF for playing an integral role in the success of this team so far. Wilson is urging all to step up their support since coming up against the likes of Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador in the Third-Stage will be no easy task. He noted that pristine preparation of the team will be vital to advancing further which is by no means impossible. Proper planning and team work are traits that will see us through successfully, Wilson noted. Guyana have been drawn in Group B along with Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador. The Golden Jaguars will travel to Mexico for their first game on June 8 and four days later will host Costa Rica at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. On September 7, Guyana will travel to face El Salvador and four days later on September 11, the Guyanese will entertain the El Salvadorians at the Guyana National Stadium.

200 Outta Bounds
Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake MONACO – Usain Bolt has given a clear message to rival, friend and training partner Yohan Blake heading into Olympics year – his 200-metre title is out of bounds in London. Blake emerged as a serious threat to his Jamaican compatriot’s sprint dominance when he won the World 100-metre title in Daegu in August, taking gold in a final that produced the most drama before the gun when Bolt was disqualified for a false start. The 21-year-old Blake followed that up less than three weeks later with an eyebrowraising run in Brussels – clocking the second fastest 200 metres of all time – his 19.26 seconds just seven hundredths of a second behind Bolt’s World record of 19.19 set in 2009. Olympic 100- and 200-metre champion Bolt said he had “gotten over the initial shock” of how quickly Blake ran. “Initially I was shocked because he’s not really a great corner runner . . . but he’s a great athlete and with great athletes you can expect anything,” Bolt told a gaggle of reporters at a Monte Carlo hotel recently. Relaxing on a sofa and dressed casually in a white polo shirt and ripped light blue jeans, Bolt admitted, to much laughter, that his younger compatriot worked “a little harder” than he did. Both sprinters are on a three-man shortlist by the International Association of Athletics Federations for Athlete Of The Year. “I’ve said this to Yohan and to a lot of my friends, the 200 is my favourite and I won’t let Yohan beat me over 200 metres,” Bolt said. “The 100 [metres] maybe, but I’ve worked hard to perfect [the 200] over the years; so I’ve told him already I won”t let it happen.”Their competitive rivalry, Bolt said, shone through in training, day in, day out. “From the first time he walked into our camp, he’s been competing with me. Sometimes he beats me – it doesn’t matter, it’s only training. He’s a really competitive person . . . I have to explain to him that he’s got to relax sometimes. “He’s young and excited but fun to be around. We laugh every day, his personality is great and it’s great to have him as a training partner.”

November 23, 2011

CARIBBEAN GRAPHIC

PAGE 19

Calypso Cricket
Uncanny Similarities
The similarities in batting style had been written about long before Darren Bravo made his international debut - the batting stance of both Lara and Bravo, their trigger movements, their flourish with they drive the ball, are all uncannily similar. Now, after 12 Test matches, it turns out that the number of runs they've scored, and their averages, are also exactly the same - 941 runs at 47.05. Bravo has played two more innings, but has also been unbeaten twice, to Lara's none. Both also have eight fifty-plus scores, though the split of hundreds to fifties is slightly different. The one major difference in the numbers is the balls faced, and hence their strike rates. Lara's is 62; Bravo's is 47.14. In terms of balls faced, Bravo has played 479 more deliveries to score the same number of runs as Lara had after 12 Tests. Both have almost the same number of boundary runs too Lara has the edge by four runs - though their boundary methods are quite different: Lara had struck only three sixes at that stage of his career, while Bravo already has 17. Another difference is the kind of opposition, and the kind of conditions, that they have encountered in their first 12 Tests: Bravo has played at home and in the subcontinent, while Lara had a full five-Test series in Australia, where he flourished, scoring his first hundred - a glorious 277, no less - and three fifties (Chart 1). Their ODI numbers aren't that dissimilar either. Bravo's played 31 so far, and averages 31.54 at a strike rate of almost 73; Lara's average after 31 was slightly higher, but his strike rate was only 67.18 (Chart 2). By the time his career ended, Lara had pushed it up to 79.51, at an average of 40.48. More importantly, Lara maintained these numbers over 299 ODIs, and an international career that straddled more than 16 years. If Bravo's career stretches as long, West Indies cricket, and indeed world cricket, will be well served.

Darren Bravo

Player Brian Lara Darren Bravo Player Brian Lara Darren Bravo

Tests Inns 12 20 12 22 ODIs 31 31 Inns 31 28

Runs 941 941 Runs 991 757

Avg 47.05 47.14 Avg 34.17 31.54

Balls Faced 1517 1996 SR 67.18 72.17

SR 62.03 47.14

100s 1 2

50s 7 6

4s 119 97

6s 3 17

Brian Lara

100s 50s 0 9 0 5

Chart 1 Chart 2

Ramdin Named New T&T Cricket Captain
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has been appointed captain of the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team for the 2012 regional cricket season. The announcement was made on November 17, by Dudnath Ramkessoon, chairman of the National Selectors and first vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB). The 26-year-old Ramdin is currently in India where he is second choice custodian behind Carlton Baugh in the three-Test series against India in which the regional side trail their hosts 0-2 after an innings defeat in Kolkata on November 17. Ramdin has lots of experience having been stand-in skipper of the West Indies team on several occasions and was understudy to former captain Daren Ganga who resigned suddenly from the position recently. Among those who were reportedly also considered to take charge of the 2011 Caribbean T20 champions and runners-up in the recent WICB Super 50 limited overs tournament were injury prone all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who has been sidelined by the regional selectors and the experienced Samuel Badree, recently called up for WI “A” team duty against Bangladesh “A”.Ramdin has played 42 Test and 84 One-Day Internationals after making his debut for the West Indies in 2005 but has struggled in recent times to hold his spot in the WI team following a lean run of form with the bat. His international career received a new lease on life when he was recently recalled to play for the West Indies on their short tour of Bangladesh. However Ramdin was replaced by Baugh for the current India leg of the tour of the subcontinent. He is expected back home in Trinidad when the ODI and T20 matches close the India tour in midDecember.

Windies-Aussies 2012 Tests to calsh with IPL
Australia will tour West Indies for a full series in March and April next year. The Tests coincide with the first half of the fifth IPL season and may result in some players missing out for their respective franchises. Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, David Warner, Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin are among those in the current Test squad who are contracted with IPL teams. For the West Indies Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are amongst those with IPL Contracts. The tour kicks off with a five-match ODI series on March 16, the games shared between St Vincent and St Lucia. The teams then play two Twenty20 internationals followed by a three-day warm-up match involving the visitors. The three-Test series begins on April 11, a week after the start of the IPL, and ends on April 27. Barbados, Trinidad and Guyana will host the three Tests.